1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to barriers for the protection of reserved areas against intrusion by motor vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
"Reserved areas" are to be taken to mean areas for the parking of private vehicles, or so-called individual parking spaces, conferring upon their owners a right of private use, or areas for circulation intended for the sole use of pedestrians or authorized vehicles, such as pavements, avenues, alleys or lanes, for example. In such cases, protective barriers are provided to prevent access to these areas by all unauthorized vehicles. "Reserved areas" are also to be taken to mean surface areas occupied by trees, posts of the signpost type, poles carrying carrying electric cables, telephone poles, telegraph poles, pylons and the like and, in these cases, the said barriers are specially designed and located so as to prevent any damage resulting from shocks or bumps caused by machines, vehicles or others.
Thus, for example, in the case of indivual parking spaces or entries to private roads or drives, these barriers generally take the form of devices firmly anchored in the ground which are able to occupy two extreme positions, namely: an upright position and a lying position. The upright position corresponds to the position preventing access to the reserved area by any vehicle, while the lying position permits such access. These two positions are attained as a result of pivotal movements imparted to the said devices, and they can be blocked using any appropriate means so as to prevent an external event or an authorized party from modifying them. The owners of private parking spaces thus have at their disposal locking or blocking means giving them alone the ability to operate the said barriers. However, it frequently happens that these devices are subjected, deliberately or unintentionally, to shocks and that, as a result, they are damaged to the extent of becoming unusable and of having to be removed and replaced, which involves quite a substantial investment. The same applies to barriers designed for the protection of trees, posts and the like, which barriers are placed around these trees or posts so as to form obstacles preventing their damage by violent bumps or shocks.